AN Alcester tyre specialist is urging parents to get up to speed with their vehicle safety checks.

Protyre's Eclipse Tyre Services on Arden Road, is warning parents following national research competed by the company revealed a lax attitude to safety, particularly when it comes to tyres.

Research showed eight per cent of parents had knowingly driven a car with at least one bald or damaged tyre, that 38 per cent didn’t know the minimum legal tread depth of tyres is 1.6mm, while a 21 per cent last checked the condition of their car tyres between two and three months ago, even though it’s recommended that tyres are checked monthly or before a long journey.

Manager Keith Roberts said his company would to check tyres for free and without any obligation.

"We would rather check a tyre and send a customer away because there’s still life left in what they currently have, than have that driver take an unnecessary risk," he said.

"It seems money is one of the reasons for the lax attitude to safety.

"We understand that parents face high costs for things like new school uniforms or class trips, but it’s nothing compared to the cost of, for example, being caught with illegal tyres - a £2,500 fine for each offending tyre, but much more important is the potentially life-threatening risk of being involved in a collision caused by ineffective tyres or brakes.

"Tyres are the most critical component of a vehicle contributing to safety. Worn or incorrectly maintained tyres significantly impede the performance of a car, reducing the effectiveness of braking, steering and acceleration."